McCall chosen superintendent after long night of deadlock

REGION — Supporters for external superintendent candidate Michael A. Buoniconti of Ludlow, superintendent of the Mohawk Trail Regional School System, were finally worn down by supporters for internal candidate Darryll McCall of Rutland, deputy superintendent of the Wachusett Regional School District since this past summer, at 12:26 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The 10-10 deadlock to select a new superintendent for the region was broken as three switched their votes in support of what several termed a “safe, known candidate” on the fourth ballot, making his approval a 13-7 vote.

When the succeeding vote was taken to offer McCall a contract, the vote was 16-4, despite committee member Sarah LaMountain of Sterling urging the committee to make it unanimous as a “show of support” for McCall.

Holden member Margaret Watson was one of the four, saying before the vote, “I will continue to vote in the best interest of this district.”

Tuesday’s early morning decision marked the end of the second superintendent search for the Wachusett Region this year. Earlier, the district conducted a superintendent search to replace superintendent Thomas Pandiscio, who retired last December. The search ended on April 2 after the finalist list was leaked and social media reaction caused the two out-of-district finalists to withdraw from the search.

The negative reaction came from the public and school committee members after they learned that then-director of operations McCall did not make the finalist list. The new superintendent was supposed to have started on the job on July 1. McCall was named deputy superintendent of the district last summer.

Former Rutland principal Anthony Gasbarro has been serving as interim superintendent since last December and had wanted to retire in late August, but he agreed to delay his retirement as the district conducted its new search.

McCall made the finalist list this time, and was interviewed last week in addition to Buoniconti and Holden resident Elizabeth Schaper, who is superintendent of the West Boylston Public Schools.

McCall attended Monday night/Tuesday morning’s school committee meeting and watched the committee debate his candidacy against that of Buoniconti and Schaper.

Before school committee members started deliberating, search committee member Asima Silva of Holden objected to McCall’s candidacy, citing his handling of a remark she termed “extremely racist” by a teacher at Wachusett Regional High School that involved her daughter. McCall took the podium and said diversity is an issue “very close to my heart as an administrator, father and human being.” WRHS principal William Beando said the episode was treated with the “highest level of seriousness.”

Former school committee member Dawn Torres-Gale of Holden addressed the committee and said the district needs fresh leadership to build back the confidence of residents.

“There are two candidates that fit that description, and one that does not,” she said, urging the committee to hire a superintendent with fresh ideas. “People want to see the district move forward,” she said.

WRSDC chair Lance Harris said because 20 of the committee’s 22 members were in attendance, 11 votes would be needed to elect the new superintendent.

Watson thanked the public for following the superintendent search process and for providing their input. She said experience in budget management was “by and large the public’s main interest” in its next superintendent.

Holden member Christina Smith of Holden said 83 percent of the 1,000 people who responded to a search questionnaire said the district needs strong leadership and someone with a background in budget and finance.

Rutland member Julianne Kelley endorsed McCall, saying the committee is “working well with our present administration… We are moving forward and need to continue in that direction.”

Holden member Stacey Jackson said, “Hiring someone from outside is a huge, huge risk. I’m not willing to take a chance. We’ve had enough turmoil in the last one and one-half years.”

Harris said the screening committee “came up with four great candidates. He termed McCall an “excellent candidate,” said Buoniconti as superintendent of a regional school district demonstrates strong leadership and that Schaper brought a “sense of energy” to the finalist interviews that the other two did not.

Sterling member James Mason said, “I think Darryll is doing a great job… the kind of guy I want to have a beer with, but am not sure I want him as superintendent.”

He said when he visited Buoniconti’s home district, the finalist “didn’t put us with his benefactors but with his detractors,” telling them “to tell us the good, bad and ugly” about Buoniconti’s superintendency. Mason said those who may not agree with Buoniconti’s decision still “respect his viewpoint.”

Holden member Kenneth Mills noted the comment about hiring outside the district being a risk, “but there’s an equal risk by standing still,” he said, by upholding the status quo.

At 8:45 p.m. Harris passed out the first set of paper ballots, and the vote came back 10 for Buoniconti, eight for McCall and two for Schaper.

After a short recess, debate continued and the second set of ballots was distributed around the table just before 10 p.m. This time the vote was 10-10, with the two Schaper votes switching to McCall.

A few committee members spoke in favor of continuing discussion and voting to another night, but Harris said some members can’t attend a subsequent meeting, “and I’m concerned if we reschedule, the decision will be made on absenteeism.”

“The towns are seeking change,” said Princeton member Robert Imber. “It wasn’t an easy vote.”

WRSDC rules require a majority vote to continue a meeting beyond 10 p.m., so committee members kept extending the debate and voting.

New bus contract

At 10:22 p.m. they suspended discussion at the urging of business and finance director Joseph Scanlon, who needed the committee’s permission that night to terminate its contract with bus contractor Atlantic Express, which is filing for bankruptcy.

The committee approved the only contractor to submit a bid to complete this school year, plus two additional years, AA Transportation of Shrewsbury. Scanlon said the new contract will cost the district $46,394.56 above what was budgeted for Atlantic Express, plus $190,953 more than what would have been paid to Atlantic Express in the 2014-15 school year, and $269,297 more than expected for 2015-16.

Scanlon said the $46, 394.56 will have to be absorbed in this FY14 school budget, but the following years’ increases will be assessed to the towns.

He said the new bus contractor will take over on Jan. 2 when school resumes after the winter vacation, and all bus routes will remain the same.

Back to the debate

At 10:52 p.m., the committee turned its attention back to the superintendent debate. The third set of ballots was distributed, and the results came back 10-10, with no one changing his or her vote.

Erik Scheinfeldt of Holden said the committee has already made McCall deputy superintendent, and with the tie, that he deserves to be promoted to superintendent.

“With all due respect, the tie doesn’t go to the winner,” said Holden member Thomas Curran. “That’s not enough for me.”

At 11:21 p.m., Matthew Ehrenworth of Rutland said, “I think we owe it to the other two [absent] members (Paxton member William Clute and Holden member Tiffany Ralli)… maybe they should have the opportunity to chime in [and postpone the vote to another night].”

“I would object to them voting,” said Scheinfeldt. “They haven’t been here for the deliberations.”

Watson suggested that since they were deadlocked, that they restart the search process. “I suggest we can go out again and we may find the candidate that can receive the enthusiastic approval of most of the committee,” she said.

“We have got to complete this tonight,” said Holden member Deidre Kosky of Holden. “The towns are depending on us.”

“I agree with member Watson,” said student representative Jon O’Brien, saying they need to select a candidate endorsed by a majority of the committee. “This is gridlock.”

Harris said if they started over, anyone could apply, including the finalists.

A motion to continue debate to another day was defeated just before midnight.

“I want us all to work together. I think we need to leave as one,” LaMountain said.

“I think we need to find a candidate we can all be enthusiastic about, and this is not happening,” said Watson. At 12:10 a.m. she made a motion to reopen the search, but it was not seconded.

With committee members refusing to postpone discussion or start over, “the problem is, shortly, someone is going to change their vote,” Mason said. He said he wouldn’t feel good as the winning candidate getting an 11-9 endorsement.

At 12:21 a.m., LaMountain said she was thinking of changing her vote and supporting McCall.

“Let’s start the new year by showing support for Darryll,” she said, “with a unanimous vote.”

“This is so sad… the way this is going,” said Sterling member Lisa Call, “because you don’t want to take a risk, saying ‘Let’s just vote for Darryll.’ ”

At 12:23 a.m. the fourth set of ballots was passed around. This time the vote was 13-7 for McCall, with LaMountain, Smith and Mills changing their votes to support McCall, along with Harris, Paxton member Robert Pelczarski (who announced he was resigning after the meeting for personal/ professional reasons), Enrenworth, Imber, Jackson, Kelley, Princeton member Matthew Lindberg, Rutland member Robert Remillard, Scheinfeldt and Rutland member Charles Witkes.